R1385 The Bible and Heaven

God has an encouraging word for you would read to the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton about the Bible and have your say that sounds reasonable. What the Bible and have them let me tell you where were headed and that will be why you want to stay around for the next few minutes as Dr. Don Wilton goes to Revelation 21 talks about the Bible and have an open God's word to get another were available for you 24 hours a day on our website at tewonline.org G that's TEW online.org right now you find today's message as well as other messages from Dr. Wilton that you can share with friends. You can sign up for the day Encouraging Word email right there on our website tewonline.org he absolutely free online TE W online.org now Dr. Don Wilton all right. Are you ready open your Bibles to Revelation 21 Revelation chapter 21 you going to need your Bibles to let me just say this before I read to you dated speak to you this morning on the subject. The Bible and haven't, what is the Bible have to say about him. What does the Bible so I preached a message entitled, what would God say to us today. It's always the operative question lauded people have opinions about him and don't, and if we were to take a survey here in the United States that might around the world and say tell us what you think about him going to get every kind of opinion. One can possibly imagine. Some don't believe it. I just don't believe it else I get a life. When you die it so I'm glad I'm not in that category you not say let's see about how many years left.

You know minutes just blank some just don't believe it's some sort of believe a place like well you know maybe if possibly, but I fall into the third category are some absolutely believe friends we living in a very rapidly changing and deteriorating world why the questions I'm getting frequently lost of media not know you getting the same as Jesus, getting ready to come back.

This question is so important. The end of this year.

I'm going to Israel going to go awry clearing to the battlefields of Armageddon and the Mount of olives Kidron Valley is Jesus about come back. Water subject I'm trying to resist the urge to speak to that subject. I'm going to cite you. It's looking very much more and more like the time is getting and I'm not just saying that even though nobody knows that. But if you look at the signs of the times.

Think about marriage, you might say to me who's more important mother or father. I'm going to say both you show me a family where the father is weak and I will show you consequences that reverberate through the family America today is weak. We are a week insipid nation. We are not prepared to lead. We call ourselves a superpower, but we certainly don't act like one.

And what we export to the world is sending a message to the world we export our brand of democracy with telling the world with each other kill one another hate one another, watch pornography, demean everybody in the bubble what we telling the world is get God out of everything you possibly can.

Just look at I will watch out world what the world is doing will no longer is concerned or bothered by, we America, we got a weak daddy in this world right now. The week father and the family is falling apart to either legal you.you don't need get out of the leading business you gonna be a father.

Don't get married just don't bring children into the world just live in your own environment is nothing wrong with that. So what we've got today is we've got a collapsing your regardless of all the opinions related to things going on your is becoming now all and increasing the first tall ground for the rise of antichrist. All your needs is a strong man, someone will rise up and say I'll fix you follow me there all falling over each other.

They will hold each other accountable but not willing to allow each other to become strong.

Go to first tall seedbed your collapsing markets cash economy you gonna ramp up of the anti-Israel movement in the United States to the best of our ability secure and say nothing and do nothing. In fact, the very opposite.

We just simply put out arms around the adversaries of Israel and give them billions of dollars to rebuild their arsenals. So heaven becomes a very important subject.

It's also important subject because every week I had the privilege. It seems like were participating in another few and it's a great privilege to be able to love on people and there's nothing more wonderful than loving on people when they loved ones are being taken into the presence of the Lord heaven just a couple things. Now I'm going to say this, for this is a huge subject. Revelation 21 at the end of the Bible is God's announcement concerning the final picture of heaven.

This is what the Bible says in Revelation 21 then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had pasta way and the sea was no more.

By the way, the word C is the word for separation. What is the seed C separates us from England right you want to go to England will island you have to get on a plane and fly over the walker final heaven there is going to be no separation gravity will be gone you want to think about heaven in the final picture. Think about God before the book of Genesis that in the beginning God where was God before he created. He always is. That's hard for us to wrap our minds around. That is, I want to tell you about heaven today because I want you to give your life to Christ. Some of you are fixing to die.

You have to know Jesus. All of us are going to die, you must know Christ. I saw the new heaven you first in first earth had pasta way, watch what happens and then also the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven because right now heaven is up there.

Heaven is up. We know that because Jesus went up the disciples looked up x-ray heaven. You gotta go through.

You gotta defy gravity in order to get into heaven now, but at the end of the world. God sees heaven is going to come down from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne. This is God speaking, saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as they God so heaven update is going to come down headquarters again to be in Jerusalem this is important stuff.

Listen what God tells us in verse four he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, neither will they be morning crying pain anymore, for the former things have pasta way they've died. So let me show you what the Bible tells us is what the Bible tells us to some very simple things. First of all, the Bible previews heaven when you going to the Old Testament. They all want a number of passages and illustrations wait. God previews heaven, for example, in second Kings chapter 2, and some of you who are very quick flippers of your Bible. Pages Satan Kings chapter 2 the story of Elijah and Elisha listen to what the Bible says this is a preview this is God telling us back in the beginning before Jesus came, God is previewing heaven how many here today on my hands going to go up how many of you have a loved one that's in heaven right now.

Okay you and I cannot see them physically, but we are going to be with them because that's why Jesus came and died on the cross for us to make that possible, because in Christ we are made alive. We going to see one another again now know for some of you that's going to be a real disappointment because the person you're seated next to not just kidding, you gonna be so. The Bible that one previews heaven the member number two. The Bible populates him alright let's office the question who exactly is going to be in heaven with now this is this a big subject, because I have people over time false comments about who exactly is in heaven. Will the Bible tells us who exactly is going to be in heaven so I'm just an isolated full category. If you first bought himself listen to Dr. Don Wilton please forgive the interruption don't go away will be back with the conclusion of today's message from Revelation 21 in just a moment Dr. Don Wilton to remind you were here for you connecting in a number of ways keyboard to keyboard on our website@twonline.org that's tewonline.org G Pl. to be able to hear today's message and other resources on audio and video for Dr. Wilton. What we call on-demand you can just click and listen right away. Also, sign up for some this insight from Dr. Wilton that comes out on a daily basis is the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don Wilton comes at about 6 o'clock every morning, click on the devotion Of our website TE W online.org to sign up today do our best to get in your mailbox within the next two days. Also order a physical copy if you like to have a quarterly version sent to you will be happy to do that absolutely free. All of that is on our website@tewonline.org that's TE W online.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. I just isolated full categories people if you first bought himself obviously, God is going to be the river.

I read that you minute ago. Revelation chapter 21 verse three God himself. He said I myself will be with you and in this verse is for another day. God is going to be God want in heaven as he was in the beginning God in the beginning before he created the heaven and earth was always Godfather God SunGard Holy Spirit, but we see him as one. He is one God. This is the Trinity. It's the mystery it's the dynamic of the triune God and then when we work through the Bible, Jesus comes down so God the son leaves God the father but is God and is born in Bethlehem. Then, when Jesus dies, God raising from the data goes back up into heaven, and he scenes to this earth the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity. Then when Jesus comes in the clouds.

In first Thessalonians chapter 4 when he comes in the clouds to precipitate the tribulation. God tells us that he will withdraw his spirit from the earth. So during the tribulation.

God is in heaven. He has never left heaven up there is not rejoined by God the son and God the Spirit at the end of the seven year tribulation. In Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11.

Heaven opens and Jesus is the son comes back down to earth again and on the Mount of olives battle of Armageddon, the thousand year reign. A great white throne judgment. Revelation chapter 20 in verse 15. And when we get to the passage that we were reading just a minute ago God comes down out of heaven, and joins the sun and the spirit to become one. That's the in the beginning God. This is the re-creation we going back to the original creation of the world. The garden of Eden because not everything is perfect so who is in heaven. God himself number 24 living creatures. Just look at Revelation chapter 4.

If you got your Bible Cisco. They quickly but it turned back pay to Revelation chapter 4 and verse six Revelation chapter 4 verse six the Bible says in before the throne, the walls, as it were, a sea of glass like Crystal and around the throat.

Got the picture. Yet this is the throne of God around the throne.

God tells us all for living creatures full of eyes in front and behind the first living creature like a lion in the second lock in THE third look at the face of a man in the fourth like an eagle in flight and the four living creatures, each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around within a day or not they never cease to sing the holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty was and who is and who is to come.

So who's going to be in heaven. I just got to in the interests of full disclosure here this morning tell you the Bible talks about the four living creatures. Now the four living creatures are spoken of three times in the Bible. First of all Ezekiel speaks about them. Then Daniel speaks about four living creatures, and then the book of Revelation speaks about four living creatures.

And this is a huge Bible study. The parallels what is the context in which it is said but here is the bottom line if I would if you lost me today.

What do these four living creatures do they worship they celebrate God's holiness. They lead us in worship.

They represent us the four living creatures. So God is going to be in heaven. The four living creatures are going to be in heaven ready for the third 124 elders 24 elders okay staying Revelation chapter 4 and go to verse let me see verse four. Revelation chapter 4 verse four Bible tells us about these people around the throne were 24 thrones, and seated on the thrones were 24 elders closed in white garments, and with golden crowns on their heads. By the way they spoken of five times in the book of Revelation. So the 24 elders who are going to be with us, we might as well get to know them.

I intend to go up to all of them and say hey I know all about you again to be with us.

They number things I'm going to say to you in bullet fashion. They represent the church. When Jesus spoke to the church in Sardis.

In Revelation chapter 3 he said I'm going to give you crowns and I'm going to call you in white garments.

They represent the church. They reign with Christ. Did you know that they are seated on thrones. That's a sign of reign of rulership. They serve as ministering spirits. The whole issue of serving in heaven is huge.

They sent out all who are saved and all will inherit heaven and eternal life by tracing why they wear crowns. They all symbol rules of the promise of God to all of us given our lives to Christ that we can be assured that we are going to be in heaven right here it is, who's in heaven.

God himself for living creatures. 24 elders. By the way these a lot more if you go back into the Levitical law there are tremendous parallels between the 24 elders and the Levitical law of the Jewish people in the Old Testament presentation right so the third group of people that are part of our group in heaven are angels, so if you if you take for example, we cannot go to chapter 5, Revelation chapter 5 in verse 11. I'm just picking on one of hundred passages.

Revelation 5 in verse 11 then I looked member, not John's looking around heaven. Then I looked and I heard around the throne there it is again. The four living creatures and the 24 elders and the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands upon thousands all singing with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom in my and Anna and glory and blessings that I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all of them that our unit singing to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessed and honor and glory and might forever and ever. And the four living creatures said amen and the elders fell down and worship. That's when the Lamb of God begins to open up the seals that precipitate the three series of judgments that are going to take place. The seal judgments followed by other trumpet judgments followed by the bowl judgments increasing in severity and then heaven opens accompanied by the chorus of these Angel what acquired that's going to be if you think we going to have a wonderful time at Carl festival and on Sunday morning quiet this morning, led by Jim Hembree was just magnificent. I think it's going to pile into insignificance compared to what we read about so the Angels are going to be in heaven. That's a huge subject been doing another study on Angels are fair to say there's so much about angels. It's unbelievable.

Great subject get to know them regain the habit by going to be all around. And then of course the fourth group of people asked all the redeemed people of the world. Chapter 7 we could go on.

Look at chapter 7 in verse nine. Off to this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, every tribe, every people, every language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice singing & salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb and all the angels in the elders and the four living creatures.

They fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God for ever and for ever and forever and forever meant something that's like winning the national championship that heaven was the Bible say if I may say something very loving, very respectful to whomever is living listening right now beginning with me is really matter what I think Jack can you hear the question. All these opinions I will tell you honestly, and all of that and all the thoughts that I have one of the very first things always awesome self is a wonder if those people that died so tragically. I wonder if they went to heaven. The Bible says heaven is real and and that's the bottom line, you know, I want us to really be a people who fix our eyes on the Lord. This is my friend.

You know you might be going to dock holders today. You may be ministering to someone is very very ill. You may be battling in your marriage may be facing a divorce. You may be really struggling with a summary daughter you may be dealing with addictions.

You know, when you study about heaven know what it for me when I study heaven I think about heaven and I believe what God says in his word. If it puts her lack the right balance back in my life just I keep coming back to where it really matter doesn't declare life and the things that we have to do issues that we have to do we gonna listen celebrate. Gonna more we going to opinionated week we rule, the end we need to we will engage. We all have keep keep the focus you lose if you lose your focus. You going to become known for. Then the chaos that you talk. Keep yourself out of the chaos, the way you do that is trust the Lord love one another, be kind to one another, sir, you go out of your way to keep the focus don't become discombobulated question is have you given your life to Christ you know I'm passionate about what I want to be passionate indeed he is passionate about the state Dr. Don Wilton's review been listening to and I can testify after knowing enough for over 20 years that he is as passionate as he sharing Christ in a restaurant on a walk in the neighborhood as he is.

You know if her doctor that is teaching and preaching now open your heart to what he wants to share with you next.

Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

Dear God, I know that Iversen and I know that Jesus died for me cross today, I repent of my sins and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend.

I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting. You if you just pray along with Dr. Wilton. Moments ago to give your life to Christ. Or maybe we dedicate your life to Jesus. We want to celebrate with you. Dr. Dunn wants to pray for you and put three resources in your hands if you call us right now at 866899 word number is 866-899-9673 would love to put these in your hands right away if you call us were email us at online@tewonline.org that's tewonline.org Jeep you'll find great resources like this. What an incredible privilege to be framed and plastered Dr. Billy Graham for so many. That's why I have just written Saturdays with but this is not a biography. It is my experience this most precious man who has changed my life and the lives of thousands of people around the room you want to get a copy right now. Saturdays, that such a powerful book and it's is one of many great resources on our website at tewonline.org G that's TEW online.org when the current resources about praying for our children and grandchildren.

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